


Overcast

by Dansaria



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, BAMF Skull (Reborn), Drabble Collection, Gen, Implied Relationships, Skull and aquariums, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-08 11:36:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14104512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dansaria/pseuds/Dansaria
Summary: A collection of story ideas and plot Bunnies. Most of them are going to be Skull centric and oneshots.





	1. Cages and Chains

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter does have a very toxic relationship between the Arcolabeno and an unhappy ending. 
> 
> ~~~~
> 
> These will mostly be one offs, if you guys really like an idea I'll try and make it into a longer story. But I have a bad habit of getting an idea and not continuing it.
> 
> Feel free to make requests.

It was strange. The way that the mafia seemed to classify flames, they all had one personality type or a flip of it. Anything besides that and the flame user was in the wrong. An affront to whoever it was who came up with this nonsense.

Maybe that's why Skull never got along with the other Arcalobeno. He'd tried at first, but he didn't fit, too social to be a classic and yet not the opposite. Skull didn't fit under any of their neat little labels and they couldn't be bothered to learn about the cloud. Taking one look at the stuntman and labeling him 'useless'.

After that the Cloud didn't try and change their opinion.

What was the point in arguing with the blind?

~~~~~~~~

The meeting starts out like any other. Colonello is arguing with Lal Mirch over something pointless. Or are they flirting? The Cloud couldn't honestly tell. Even the decades that he'd spent dealing with them didn't help Skull with the conundrum that was the rainy relationship.

He leans back into his chosen perch as the other's finally start to settle in.  Only Fon acknowledging him with a short nod as he walks pass. The others choosing instead to ignore him entirely. That's fine. The Cloud Arcalobeno doesn't want to be there. He'd much rather be in the middle of nowhere, just drifting, then be in a room with these people who were supposed to be his family.

Skull scoffs internally at that notion. 'Family' what nonsense, if they are a family they are an estranged one. The bonds they'd formed tentative at best and fit to break at the slightest upheaval.

Bonds that 'tie' the cloud to them. Not that they could bind him, they burned much to violently and swiftly for Skull to be able to settle. He could never offer these strangers the protection of his overcast. They'd eat him alive at the first sign of 'weakness'. Better to be useless and allowed to drift as he pleases then bond to this 'family'.

The meeting was drawing to an end without Skull's input, the voices of his fellow Arcalobeno tapering off into a lulling silence as they ran out of things to say, to report. Skull is drawn out of his internal musing as he feels eyes on him. Burning into the side of his face as the others clearly expect some form of outburst from him. The apparent teen's hand raises absently, scratching at his the bandages decorating cheek as he focuses on Aria.

"Can we leave now?" He asks, the sound of his voice startling Colonello and Verde. The Cloud scoffs internally, had they really thought that yelling was his only volume? Sure,  Skull hadn't been making a spectical of himself like usual, but surely such great and power people should know better than just to assume such things.

"Ah- Sure, Skull." Aria responds, shifting awkwardly in her seat. The Sky's expression a mix of guilt and confusion. Skull guesses that she notices how he's been pulling away ever since the curse broke. However, she didn't say anything about it. Never brought up even a hint of it. He didn't know if he was thankful or bitter over that.

Sure Aria isn't HIS sky... but he'd thought that they'd been close enough to miss each other. He been wrong appearantly.

"Thank you." Skull says in a uncharacteristically soft tone, it holds a hint of finality to it. A hint of things left unsaid and thing never mentioned. He can feel the eyes that burn into the side of his face sharpening. No he wouldn't look at the other. Do not look at the Sun that was warmthpaintoobrightblinding. If he looked Skull knew that a confrontation would happen. The Sun would take it as a challenge. He always did.

He offers Aria a nod of thanks and acknowledgement, pushing himself away from the table and moving to get away before something happens. Refusing to making eye contact with his his fellow elements least they sense his intentions. He needs to leave. Before he is _chainedcagedcaught._ Skull's instincts are screaming at him to flee before the Sun decides to act.

"Leaving so soon, Lackey."

Too late.

It is always to late.

The Cloud feels his body tense, his wiry muscles coiling beneath his skin as he prepares to fleefightsomethinganything. Anything but face the too bright, too seeing Sun. Instead, he forces himself to turn with a too bright smile.

"Ahaha, sorry Senpai, I have a show I need to prepare for. You guys should totally come and watch the Great Skull-sama!" Skull says, his voice obnoxiously bright as he hopes to God that the Sun doesn't peer too closely. That he doesn't see too much. He can hear Colonello scoff over the idea of actually watching one of his shows in the background. Like always.

The Rain has never considered going to one before, none of them have. They never noticed that his offers were as empty as their excuses, but as they grew back into their adult bodies Reborn had started to notice things.

Maybe while they were cursed the man was focused far too internally to notice anything off with the Cloud. With the curse broken though Reborn had zeroed in on his on his fellows. Skull had watched as at every meeting after the broken curse the Sun had reevaluated all of his 'family'. He'd felt the all seeing Sun's eyes burning into him as he taunted the Cloud, chipping away at all the flaws in Skull's mask until the younger man felt exposed just being in the man's presence.

"No, you don't." Reborn's voice is light, but it still manages to snap through the air like a bullwhip in its absolutism. The rest the Arcalobeno shift at the tone. Skull can feel more eyes on him as the statement registers in the other's mind, obviously expectant of an explantion. The teen can feel the urge to bare his teeth at this obvious challenge, to growl at the Sun that was so easily obstructing his freedom.

He doesn't. The urge is firmly shoved into the back of his mind. Skull doesn't notice how Reborn's expression flickers with something akin to satisfaction as the teens grin wavers. Or how the Arcalobeno except Aria still as they realise that something isn't right. The Cloud's focus more on not responding like an animal cornered to the Sun's challenge.

"Now why would you lie about that? It's almost like you're trying to avoid us, Lackey." The Sun stalks toward him like an oversized cat, the Cloud moves back with each step that Reborn takes forward. Moving towards the door, to an escape. Not it helps the swiftly diminishing distance between them. Lost in the instinct to get AWAY from the blinding burning Sun, Skull isn't sure how Reborn maneuvered them so that he was between the Cloud and the door.

Cutting off his easy escape.

Skull has never noticed how much taller than him the Sun was until Reborn was a few paces to far into his personal space. Looming over him, far more threatening than he's ever been before. The Cloud aways did his best to avoid getting too close to the hitman when their bodies started growing again. Now though, being forced to looking up into those hard blank eyes, Skull realises he never wants to feel that SMALL again. Never wants to stare into that abyss again.

"Ahhh, why would I do that, Senpai?" Skull voice wavers, his eyes darting around the room for an escape or an ally. Anything really. Not that he found any, the rest of the Arcalobeno were looking eager to see him get his ass handed to him (Lal Mirch, Colonello, Verde) or ignoring the confrontation entirely. Of course. It isn't their problem.

The Cloud can feel his irritation growing.. really, these are the people he's supposed to trust? To rely on?

"I don't know. Care to share, Skull." The Sun says. It's an order, not a question, and Skull can just hear the tell tale sign of danger building in Reborn's voice. He's obviously noticed how close Skull was to fleeing. If the way the hitman shifts every so slightly to block the obvious exists, leaving only the window, Reborn isn't planning on just letting him flee.

Skull's eyes linger on the window

"No." The Cloud's voice is firm, something inside of him finally shattering under the constant poking and prodding. He doesn't even realise that his hackles rise, baring his teeth like some cornered animal finally striking back at it's abuser. The tension in the room spikes until it's crackling in the air and making his hair stand on end.

It leaves the other Arcalobeno silent, this was a side of their Cloud that they hadn't seen. That they never even thought was a possibility. Not that Skull pays them any mind. His focus is entirely on the Sun. The way the man's eyes narrow, flashing with some unknown emotion. Something familiar that Skull can't even care to name.

"That wasn't a suggestion. Skull." Again was his name spoken as some sort of warning and something else. Almost a challenge. A dare.

"Well, sorry to disappoint, but I'm not sharing-" It was only years of experience with Reborn shooting at him for the slightest thing that had the stuntman throwing himself to the side and rolling to avoid the barrage of bullets. The bangs leaving his ears ringing and he can see Reborn's mouth moving, but he just doesn't care.

He's done. Done with always rolling over an taking their abuse without a fight. A small voice in the back of his head is howling at him to stop. That he wouldn't even be able to scratch the Sun. That he won't be able to hide if he fights. The Cloud lunges forward anyway, his eyes blazing with fury. His flames swirling violently under his skin as the Sun doesn't respond. Watching him approach with an unreadable expression on his face.

The next few moments pass in a flurry of limbs. A hand closing around Skull's wrist and suddenly the Cloud is weightless. Being thrown through the air, before his back is violently meeting table, his breath whooshing out of him in a giant gust of air that leaves him gasping for breath.

Normally, this is where a fair fight would end. Skull, however, is not a fair fighter and he is desperate, the Cloud twists on the table. His hand closes around one of the drinks. He doesn't care whose it is or the exclamation of protest that he hears as he throws the steaming hot beverage at the Sun.

Not even waiting another second to catching his breath when he finds his footing underneath himself, the Cloud propels his body at Reborn with a low snarl.

His knees hit somewhere around Reborn's chest.

The momentum sending both of them crashing into the ground and Skull manages to get a good punch in before he finds himself underneath Reborn. The stuntman's arms instinctively cross under the Sun's, forcing the man's arm up before he can take proper aim with his gun, forcing the gun up and away from the Cloud's chin. Reborn scoffs, his other hand snapping up and pinning Skull's wrists above his head.

"Calm down." He hears Reborn say, his voice surprisingly even for a man that started this entire mess. The Cloud growls in response, his fury boiling under his skin.

"Fuck off! I refuse. I refuse to be caged by you! Get off of me you insufferable bastard!" Skull snarls, his eyes wide with frustrated tears clinging to his lashes.  
Almost feverant as his flames bleed into them, causing them to glow violently violet in the room.

Smack.

The Cloud's head snaps to the side, pain blooming in his cheek. His arms jerk as if to craddle his cheek only to be jared to a stop by the Sun's hand.

"Maybe you should-"

"Shut up, Colonello." Reborn cuts off whatever Colonello was about to suggest, leaving him floundering in indecision. The Cloud ignores this, glaring sharply up at the Sun. _Toobrightburnsburnsburns_. "Are you calming down?" Skull can practically hear the sarcasm dripping off of that question. "I'm not moving until you have."

And the Cloud knows that the hitman's not kidding. It's in the way he settles his weight or how his eyes keep their intense focus on Skull. It sends Skull's flames roiling under his skin, screaming in protest this. Why now? Why would Reborn notice now? He wants to fight, to scream, to tear apart this room. But he knows that it wouldn't help. If anything it'll just make the situation worse, but oh does he want too.

"Do you really think we'd cage you?" Is Fon's soft question that causes the Cloud to freeze. His eyes widening with horror as he realises just what he's revealed. It hits him suddenly why Aria hadn't said anything. She'd already seen that this would happen. Seen that Skull would loose control. And The Cloud knows, knows the the other's wouldn't let him go. Knows that they never would have if they could stop it and now they KNOW.

A hysterical laugh breaks past his lips and he's torn between laughing and crying, because now he couldn't slip away quietly. Couldn't disappear because the Sun wouldn't let him.

"I hate you. I hate these flimsy ties. Why couldn't you just let me leave? Why?!"

"Because you're mine."

Because you're mine. The simple statement rings in the Cloud's mind, the rage that had been slowly ebbing away slamming back into his mind like a raging inferno.

"I am not YOUR'S." Violet flames flicker around his hands as Skull tries to burn the Sun off of him. "You possessive BASTARD. LET ME GO." His flames were flaring up all over him now, the scent of burning flesh fills his nose. Clogging his senses and still the bastard doesn't move. The Sun sits atop him looking completely unaffected as his flesh literally burns from contact with the Cloud.

"You are MY Cloud. MY Lackey. MINE." Reborn says as he leans down until he's eye to eye with the raging Cloud. The Sun's eyes are burning gold as they lock with Skull's. "You're not getting away from me, I will hunt you down and drag you back if I must."

A wounded keen leaves the Cloud's throat at those words. Confusion and then abject horror swiftly overcoming his rage at Reborn's threat- no, promise registers in his mind. That is not what Skull wanted. The Cloud doesn't even notice when the violet flames disappear under his own hesitancy. Or how warm yellow flames quickly take their place, smoothing over the burned flesh healing the wound Skull's rage had left behind.

"But why..?" The fight seeps from Skull's limbs, leaving him limp beneath the Sun who has yet to move off of him. Who is still watching him like a hawk, as if the Cloud will break away and flee if he so much as looks away.

"Because you're mine." Reborn says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. The Sun pauses, his hold on Skull's wrist loosening until it's gone completely. "You're mine and I am a possessive 'bastard'." He says with that annoying smirk of his. The Sun leaning back and waiting.

The annoying bastard.


	2. Coffee Shops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this is a much happier short in my opinion.

“Hey Cherep, can you go get me more coffee grinds from the back?” Asks a young girl, nimble hands fiddling with one of their grinders as skilled eyes take stock of everything that they’ll need for the rest of the day.

“Okay, Okay.” Her co-worker hums out, wiping down one last table before giving her a playful salute. The boy, Cherep, heads into the back, thankful in the lull of customers. The morning rush for coffee has just finished, but give it a few hours and the rush will be back. He shuffles around the back of the shop, careful eyes glancing around. They’d just gotten a fresh box of grinds the other day, though Cherep isn’t quite sure where the Boss had put them.

After a year of working here he is fairly sure that the Boss just threw them in random places to make things difficult for Isabelle and him.

“Have you found them yet?” Isabelle asks, popping her head in from the front of the shop as Cherep pushes a wayward lock of hair out of his face.

“No, I swear he does this on purpose.”

“You know he does, he likes to see people suffer,” She pauses, glancing back over her shoulder before letting out a huff of breath. “Hey, come man the shop, I’ll call Papa and see where he put them.”

“Ahhh, if you’re sure…”

“Of course I am, I have some people I need to text anyway.” Cherep snorts and shakes his head, of course that’s what she really wants.

“You’re always on that thing Isabelle, your fingers are going to fall off when you get older.” Cherep sing-sang as he walks back into the kitchen, grinning cheekily when she sticks her tongue out at him.

“You’re just weird, everyone our age is on them. You don’t even have one!”

“Of course not, I don’t want the government listening to me shower. They’d hear my horrible singing voice.”

“Whatever, Cherep.” She huffs before disappearing into the back and cutting off the now familiar argument. He shakes his head with a small smile, leaning against the counter as he takes the moment to people watch. He hasn’t had a phone or laptop since he left that world a year and a half ago. He knows from Viper and Reborn just how easy those were to track. He isn’t going to let himself be caught over such a rookie mistake.

It still surprises him how easy it had been for him to slip out of that life. All he had to do was dye his hair and switch out his bikesuit for casual clothing and people that had “known” him for years didn’t look twice at him. His hair’s now grown out to his mid back, the dyed black mass still as unruly as ever even when tied back into a ponytail. He likes it though, it helps differentiate “Cherep” from “Skull”. Skull was a boisterous, attention seeking stuntman with short wild hair and a deep love of death defying stunts. While Cherep is quiet barista who volunteers at the local aquarium in his free time, more amiable with a healthy dose of paranoia. And if he’d taken up free running in his spare time, well that is his business.

He keeps an ear out for any news from that world, about both the other Arcobaleno and any rumors about his whereabouts. However, most of what he hears is so far off the mark it’s not even funny. The closest anyone has ever got was the rumor that had been circulating a couple months ago. Apparently there “had been sightings of him eating at Cafes in Austria”. Of course a lot of people seemed to just assume that he was dead. Killed for being too weak, too naive for the mafia.

The jingle of the door opening drags Cherep out of his thoughts as a customer enters the cafe.

“Hello, welcome to La Tana, how may we help you today?” Cherep asks, only Boss’s training keeping he from freezing in the middle of his greeting and a smile on his face when his eyes land on the cloak figure that just enters the shop. Part of him, the small, perpetually optimistic side of him, thinks that maybe- just maybe this isn’t who he thinks it is. That it’s just some random civilian that thinks that cloaks are super cool or is maybe coming in from a convention or something.

“I would like a strawberry shake.” The figure says, not even giving the menu a cursory glance. Then Cherep can’t even try and deny it anymore. Viper, the mist Arcobaleno is standing inside his friend’s little Cafe. Part of him wants to curl up in a little ball and cry, he just had to jinx himself. The other part of him want tell the Mist that they didn’t have shakes here and get them to leave the shop and leave him the hell alone.

(The smaller part of him, yearns for his Mist. For the soft bickering in the early mornings. He brushes the part out of the forefront of his mind. Ignoring it. Ignoring the longing.)

Unfortunately, his body is moving to fulfill the order before his mind is able to decide what to do.

“Got a sweet tooth?” His mouth moves on autopilot, as his hands fiddle around with the shake machine.

“I’d have to charge you for that information.” All it takes is that one statement to break the weird state of limbo the two had been in since Viper entered the cafe. Cherep’s body tensing reflexively as he freezes. It’s not proof that the other knows who he is, but it’s enough for his already hair-trigger instincts to start screaming at him. The Cloud may not be able to see it, but he’s sure that the Mist is getting ready for whatever his reaction may be.

“Would you tell us for a free shake?” Sounds Isabelle’s voice as she comes from the back, holding the box of coffee grinds with a triumphant smile. It takes Cherep a few seconds to process what she has said.

“Wait- I- Isabelle, you can’t just give away free drinks.” Cherep says in an absolutely scandalised voice. “What would the Boss say?”

“Probably something grumpy and about responsibility. Besides, you know they’ll be back for more if they have one of our shakes.” She says, setting the box down behind the counter. “So, what do you say? A free shake and you give us a few facts about yourself.”

“How many facts?”

“Four.”

“Two.”

“No, you have to give at least three.”

“Two, I don’t even know if your shakes are worth the information.”

Cherep watches in utter disbelief as his co-worker and ex-arcobaleno barter over a strawberry shake. It’s such a surreal scene that the Cloud would have sworn that he is dreaming if it wasn’t for the fact that his dreams involving the other ex-arcobaleno are much more violent. And usually featuring a gun between his eyes.

“Two facts, and if I like it I’ll tell you one more the next time I get one.”

“Deal.”

The Cloud’s eye twitches. This was too weird. He shakes his head as he sets the drink on the counter.

“Order up…” He stares at the two incredulously as they stare each other down before Viper grumbles and huffs.

“Fine. Yes, I have a sweet tooth. And… I think frogs are very cute.” Cherep chokes on the air at that admission. That wasn’t what he was expecting at all, maybe something about the Mist’s apparent love of money, but not that. Oh Lord, he is going to have to take that to his grave, isn’t he?

A peek at the glare Viper shoots him, tells Cherep that yes, yes he will.

(Though he’s always kept his Mist’s secrets, just as the Mist hid his. It is just how it is.)

“Aww~ They are super cute aren’t they?” Isabelle cooes to Viper’s nod of agreement, the cloaked informant plucking the shake off of the counter and taking a few sips of it.

“Hmm… This will do. I’ll be back next week,” Viper announces, cradling the drink in their hands as if it is some precious treasure. Cherep almost breathes a sigh of relief when the Mist heads toward the door, at least it is just Viper. Really, he should have known better. “Oh, and Skull. Keep an eye out for the others.”

Fuck.

He just had to jinx himself, didn’t he?

“Did he just call you Skull?”

 

* * *

 

Of course after that little visit his paranoia has shot through the roof. Honestly though, if it hadn’t been for that comment Cherep is fairly sure he wouldn’t have even noticed Colonello and Lal. Or maybe he would have, as they did stick out like a sore thumb sitting outside in -14°. Either way, the Cloud has a perfectly clear view of them as they argue over something across the street from the cafe.

They had been there for the past half hour.

“So are those some of the ‘other’s’ that your mysterious friend was talking about?” Isabelle asks from her spot at the counter, she’s been looking up at the two Rain’s ever since she’d caught Cherep looking at the a few minutes ago.

Biting back the automatic retort that they weren’t his friends Cherep let out gusty sigh, running his fingers through his fringe.

“Yeah, that’s them.” His eyes narrowing on the two, were they even wearing coats? And they call him stupid. The Cloud huffs, tugging at his bangs in frustration. Why were they even here?

“Here,” Two steaming cups of coffee are set down on the counter in front of him, when he meets Isabelle’s eyes he can practically feel the amusement vibrating around her. “Go give this to your friends and stop worrying about them.”

“They're not my friends.” He grumbles out even as he picks up the coffees. “Making a habit of giving away free drinks?”

“Please, these are coming out of your paycheck. They're your friends after all.”  Cheap groans, not even bothering to try and refute her anymore. She never listens anyway.

“Fine.” He says as he heads to the door with the two cups, feeling eyes lock on to him as soon as he exists the shop. Cherep sighs.

Again.

Maybe Isabelle has a point, he is sighing way too much today.

The Rains track him as he moves across the street. Whatever they had been bickering over forgotten as they watch the Cloud, staring at him as if they'd never quite seen him before. Like they'd always been looking at him through frosted glass and now they finally got a proper look.

It is weird.

This is _weird_.

“Ah! Fancy seeing you here, Skull! Or is it Cherep now, kora?” Colonnello greets with a cheery grin on his face and guarded look in his eyes. Is he really supposed to believe that? Did Colonnello really think he is that naive? The urge to just dump the coffee over their heads, consequences be damned causes his fingers twitch around the cup.

He really wants to, it would only take a moment. Cherep can’t though. Not because it’d be wrong. Or mean. But because they expect him to. Expect him to rage or to grovel, he can see it in the way Colonnello’s eyes travel to the cups warily. In how Lal shifts in her seat. And the Cloud refuses- _refuses_ to let himself be defined by their expectations anymore.

“You idiot,” Lal interrupts Cherep’s thoughts, slapping the other Rain over the back of the head. “This isn't even close to a believable coincidence.” She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose with obvious frustration.

They’d probably been arguing over what they’d do if Cherep came over. Lal Mirch apparently not approving of Colonnello’s method of choice in the slightest. If this had been the blonde’s plan from the beginning then the Cloud can’t say that she is wrong to argue about it. Well… at least some things never change.

Sanguine eyes zero in on him, the piercing look cutting through him, his shell, causing the Cloud to freeze in place. Feeling too exposed. He doesn’t know what to say, where to begin, or even if he should say anything at all. He left because of them. He **DOESN’T** owe them anything.

(So why does he want to talk with them again. Feel the draw to be closer, to have _his_ rains nestled safely in his clouds again.)

Lal’s eyes pass, downcast to the floor. She shifts, if Cherep hadn’t known her for so long he probably would have missed it. Missed the fact that Lal is fidgeting. Fidgeting! Lal never fidgets and yet here she is fidgeting as if she doesn’t know what to say.

And that’s when it hits the Cloud that Lal is just as uncertain about this as he is. Just as unsure of where to start, how to continue. A short glance over at Colonnello shows the same thing with different signs. There is discomfort in his smile, a sort of rigidness to his stance, the other Rain isn’t quite sure where they stand. Neither of them are. If this is had been before Skull had became Cherep he is sure as he was that the sun would rise in the east that he would have been kicked around by now. Kicked around and insulted and beaten into the ground.

But now, now there is an uncertainty to their actions, none of them know where they stand anymore. The Cloud can feel something inside of his flames settling inside of him. Purring in contentment. A calmness that he knows isn’t caused by the Rains, but because of them breaking past his uncertainty. He smiles, it’s more a crooked grin, more gum than teeth.

They could try this. Try to rebuild the bonds he’d torn down.

Afterall, he’d gotten away easily last time. If it turns out as more of the same he’ll escape again and know how they found him.

If they mess up, they won’t find him a second time.

“I brought drinks.” He offers, holding up the drinks as if they were a truce. He supposes that they were.

In a way.

It would depend on them how long it lasts.

 

* * *

 

In all honesty, Cherep has been expecting the Sun to show up next. Which leaves the Cloud with a knot of emotions that he doesn’t care to unravel. Though, if he has to name the biggest two, it would be dread and a frustration that has him shattering a few mugs before Isabelle sets him on grinding coffee instead.

However, that is not the case.

(Thankfully, he isn’t sure how anyone would react to the calm and cheerful Cherep trying to bite someone’s face off. Which, he isn’t sure he would be able to keep himself from doing if he saw the Sun’s.)

He sees the next Arcobaleno when he’s volunteering at the local aquarium. The Cloud is feeding the adorable cuttlefish a shrimp when a flash of red tugs at his attention from his peripherals. Cherep tilts his head in a bird like fashion, keeping an eye on the little critter as he swiftly scans his surroundings. It only takes him a moment, but he can feel some of the tension in his chest unravelling when he spots the Storm across the hall.

He’s always been closest to the Storm, leaving him behind without a word has always sat wrong with the Cloud. Cherep wonders often, if Fon is angry with him over it or if he understood.

The other isn’t watching him. Not in the obvious way that Lal and Colonnello were, at least. Instead the Chinese man was staring up at a tank of jellyfish, watching them with that soft serene smile that never gave away what he was thinking. It’s a familiar sight that the Cloud hadn’t even known that he’d missed.

“Sir, do these change color!?” Cherep blinks down a small girl who is watching the cuttlefish eat with a look of unabashed fascination, her nose almost pressing flat against the glass. The Cloud smiles and when he finishes answering all of her questions the Storm is gone.

Cherep doesn’t know if he should feel disappointed or relieved.

(His heart settles on disappointment.)

“I see why you like sea life.” A soft voice says from behind him and Cherep almost sends his lunch flying. He doesn’t. Thankfully. A pale hand reaches out to settle the Cloud’s drink before it tips over before the Storm slicks gracefully into the chair across from him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Cherep doesn’t believe that for a second and it must have shown in his expression, because Fon muffles a small chuckle in his hand. They fall into a silence that’s filled with unanswered questions, it’s not quite awkward, but Cherep isn’t sure how to move on from it.

The moment’s pass with Cherep picking at his food and Fon just watching him. It isn’t in the same when that Lal had, it didn’t feel as if the Storm was trying to see into his very being. No it is more akin to the feel of someone trying to re-familiarize themselves with someone they hadn’t seen in forever. The silence slowly eases and Fon turns his attention away, sharp eyes people watching instead.

“Are you planning on dragging me back?” He asks, the Cloud’s voice soft and yet jaring as opposed to the silence from before. He asks that instead of ‘Are you mad at me?’, ‘Why now?’, ‘How?’. The Cloud almost wants to take the question back, because he knows that the Storm won’t lie to him, and he’s not sure that he _wants_ to know. Not truly, but it’s too late. It’s already out there in the air between them.

“No.” Fon says, it’s such a simple answer, but the feeling of dread that had been eating away at him ever since Viper had walking into the Cafe starts to recede. “No, we won’t drag you back, not after you’ve carved out your own territory here.”

“Then why are you guys here?” Cherep asks, unable to keep his desperation, his confusion from his voice. He won’t hide it from Fon.

This is _his_ Storm.

His Storm that gave him a place of calm to cling to when everything else got to be too much. Fon might not have gone out of his way to protect Skull, but he had always offered help when the Cloud sought it.

Fon pauses as if he isn’t sure how to answer that question. As if he hasn’t even thought about it himself.

“Ah… After Reborn found you it just felt like… like the right thing to do..?” The Storm hums, his eyes narrowing just the slightest before he sighs. “We haven’t seen or heard from you in over a year. You left without a note and half of us were convinced that you’d been kidnapped and were being tortured. We wanted to see that you were okay with our own eyes.”

Cherep doesn’t know how to respond to that. He doesn’t feel guilty, he would never feel guilty about getting as far from that situation as possible. It was necessary. Instead he focuses in on the first part of that information. 

“Reborn found me?” That in itself isn’t so surprising, except that he hasn’t seen hide or hair of the trigger-happy man. Reborn is usually extremely confrontational. Fon’s grin turns particularly smug as he leans forward.  

“Yes, he didn’t confront you because he’s pretty sure that out of all of us he’d be the one that’d trigger a flight or fight response from you. So he probably won’t be bothering you for a while.” Cherep blinks, he’s fairly sure that Fon has more to do with why Reborn won’t be ‘bothering’ him than the Storm is showing.

That more than anything shows that his Storm supports him in this. It doesn’t scare him anymore, what’ll happen with the Sun, because Fon supports him staying here.

And that's enough.

For now.


End file.
